Tactical Fleet Simulator (TFS) is a total overhaul with the aim of transforming Homeworld2 into a tactics-oriented strategy game. Initial versions aimed for a more immersive tactical "simulator" orientation, the current version provides a more refined and consistent RTS experience.
The Vaygr FC-12B Assault Fighter is a variant of the FF-12A optimized for the interception of corvette squadrons at standoff range.
The FC-12B variant forgoes some of the FF-12As maneuverability and its anti-fighter medium-range missile launchers for a single long-range cluster missile launcher and plasma lance cannon, but retains the FF-12As standard pulse laser cannon for self-defense. This configuration makes this variant of the Assault Fighter extremely effective at dispatching Corvettes at medium to long ranges.
The FC-12B was conceived as a replacement for the venerable FC-11B Lance Fighter, which lacked both the range and firepower for adequately suppressing advanced corvette variants employed by the Hiigarans.
Nice work!
All those numbers and letters mean nothing to me. Can't you just name it a MKII Anti-Corvette Fighter?
The unit classification system provides a simple and streamlined way of conveying critical information to players that removes excess clutter (instead of having a "Heavy Missile Destroyer" compared to a "Light Missile Destroyer" we can simplify it to "DHG" and "DLG", respectively).
In this specific case, the "F" signifies the unit is a Fighter, while the "C" signifies its role (Anti-Corvette).
That being said, capital ship and frigate designations are a bit inconsistent in the current version of TFS and will be overhauled into a more simple and consistent classification system in v2.9.I will also consider simplifying the naming scheme for strikecraft.
The size designation in a ship's name isn't necessary, as we have the tactical overlay and the build menus to tell us what class a ship is in.
The number string after the dash is also useless to the player in the middle of a game. The player doesn't need to know the fighter has gone through 12 redesigns in the past. Tell the lore of a ship in a manual and possibly in the description, but not in the name.
The A and B designations don't imply anything beyond the fact they're different. Words like missile, pulsar, and plasma are familiar to Homeworld players.
What the player needs to know at a glance is the "Assault Fighter (is) extremely effective at dispatching Corvettes at medium to long ranges."
As of TFS 2.8 the Vaygr FC-12B will not fire the long range cluster concussion missiles at capital ship subsystems. Is this intended or is it a bug?. I ask 'cause the Hiigaran counterpart (CF-17B was it?) does fire its long range cluster torpedoes at subsystems (and the torpedoes are actually quite effective for subsystem suppression).
In previous versions of TFS, the FC-12B would not fire its cluster missiles at non-strikecraft targets to prevent them from wasting their missile since it had a long reload time. This will be changed in TFS v2.9 so that the cluster missile has a slightly higher rate of fire and an ability to target larger ships.